The Three Most Friendly LGBT Countries

Photo illustration (Delia Giandeini / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Issues concerning the lesbian, gay and transgender (LGBT) community often reap pros and cons, especially in Indonesia. In fact, recently this issue has become a trending topic in Indonesia, after a foreigner from the United States (US), Kristen Gray, called Bali a tourist destination that is LGBT-friendly.

The majority of Indonesians are indeed resistant to LGBT people. Many even think that LGBT is the cause of many natural disasters.

Even though Indonesia rejects the existence of LGBT, it does not mean that there are no countries that accept their existence. Then, which countries accept the existence of LGBT?

The LGBT Association in Europe, ILGA-Europe, ranks 49 European countries that are LGBT-friendly. The ranking is based on several classifications, such as gross human rights violations, discrimination, and so on. VOI will list the top 3 countries that are LGBT friendly, reported from the rainbow-europe.org site.

1. Malta

Malta has twice been named the European country that respects the rights of LGBT people the most. The award was given by ILGA-Europe.

According to the Gay Guide Malta report, gay rights in the country are increasing and have an effect on Malta's reputation for being gay-friendly in a social context.

A survey conducted in 2016 showed 65 percent of Maltese people support same-sex marriage. This figure is an increase of 18 percent compared to the survey conducted in 2006.

2. Belgium

Belgium is also called a friendly country with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. In 2003, this country became the second country in the world to grant permission for gay and lesbian couples to marry.

Reporting from the website thebulletin.be, initially the country imposed a regulation requiring both parties to recognize same-sex marriage. However, the regulation was repealed in October 2004.

Now, same-sex couples can marry only on the condition that they have lived in Belgium legally for three months. In fact, same-sex marriages account for about 2.5 percent of all marriages in Belgium.

3. Luxembourg

The Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, is one of three gay heads of government in the world. In 2009, Bettel gave a speech at the United Nations forum. At that time he also asked world leaders to condemn hatred for LGBT.

"Homophobia is a personal choice, and we have to fight it," said Bettel, quoted by NBC News.